From left, Juventus’ Leonardo Bonucci, Torino’s Fabio Quagliarella, Juventus’ Angelo Ogbonna and Torino’s Maxi Lopez go for the ball
Juventus was prevented from clinching a fourth consecutive Serie A title with a 2-1 loss at Torino yesterday in a derby marred by fan violence.
After Andrea Pirlo put Juventus ahead with a free kick 35 minutes in, fellow Italy international Matteo Darmian equalized just before halftime and former Juve forward Fabio Quagliarella scored the winner in the 57th.
It was Juve’s only third league loss this season and the first time Torino has won the league derby in 20 years. Since Torino’s last win in April, 1995, it had lost 13 derbies and drawn four.
Before the match, Torino fans assaulted the bus carrying Juve’s players as it approached the stadium, breaking a window. Juventus supporters retaliated by throwing fireworks at Torino counterparts inside the stadium, injuring several.
Juventus needed a win and a Lazio loss to clinch, and Lazio was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Chievo Verona.
Miroslav Klose gave Lazio the lead in the 45th after dribbling past two defenders and chipping in from a sharp angle. Alberto Paloschi equalized in the 76th with an angled shot.
Juventus is 14 points ahead of Lazio with six matches remaining. Roma is one point further back in third after a 2-1 loss at Inter Milan on Saturday.
In other matches, Luca Toni scored twice as 10-man Hellas Verona beat Sassuolo 3-2; Antonio Nocerino converted a penalty as crisis-hit Parma defeated Palermo 1-0 to put off relegation for another week; Genoa beat Cesena 3-1; and Atalanta and Empoli drew 2-2 in the lunchtime fixture.
Later, Napoli was hosting Sampdoria and Fiorentina faced Cagliari.
Fresh off qualifying for the Champions League semifinals, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri started with standout forward Carlos Tevez on the bench, opting for Alvaro Morata and Alessandro Matri in attack instead.
Those choices seemed to be of no consequence when Pirlo curved a free kick over a Torino wall and in off the underside of the crossbar midway through the first half.
But poor defending allowed Darmian to equalize after taking a pass from Quagliarella. Despite poor control, Darmian was permitted to chase the ball inside the box and shoot past Gianluigi Buffon uncontested.
Pirlo hit the post with another free kick in the 52nd and Quagliarella scored the winner five minutes later, using one touch to redirect a cross from Darmian.
Tevez replaced Morata in the 65th and Matri hit the post in the 81st with a cross that floated through the area untouched.
Juventus had another chance to equalize in the 83rd when Pirlo set up Stefano Sturaro but the midfielder’s header was stopped by goalkeeper Daniele Padelli. Andrew Dampf, Rome, AP
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